Marci Johnson studied bear hibernation for her thesis. She now is a wildlife biologist in Alaska.

Chris Firkus studied waterflow in rivers and now works as an environmental consultant.

Annette Pelegrin developed a technique to efficiently remove water from manure helping farmers minimize environmental impacts. She is now the coordinator for the Lower Fox River Watershed Monitorig Program.

Pau Vue graduated in 2012 and is now studying agriculture in Laos as part of his dissertation research in geography.

Tony Reith graduated with an emphasis in policy, but interdisciplinary courses in environmental science prepared him for a job with the USFWS.

Ecosystems Studies

Thesis topics Ecosystems Studies range from population ecology and species conservation to larger scale investigations of landscape ecology, biogeography, nutrient dynamics, trophic interactions, and restoration ecology. Research projects are conducted in natural, managed, and disturbed ecosystems, often taking advantage of the University's location on the shores of Green Bay, a short distance from world-class wetlands, extensive Western Great Lakes forests, and the Great Lakes themselves. Recently developed programs in tropical ecology also provide opportunities for student research in Central America. The Cofrin Center for Biodiversity and University of Wisconsin Sea Grant Program located on the UW-Green Bay campus often provide staff resources and support for research projects in Ecosystem Studies. Tools used by students in this area of emphasis include GIS software, taxonomic collections including the Richter Museum of Natural History and University Herbarium, data management and statistical analysis programs, and ecological monitoring equipment or methods. Skills developed in the Ecosystems Studies option have helped graduates find employment as government field ecologist, environmental consultants, science educators, land managers, and academic scientists.